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Allusion
- “ Neptune” (54): mythological allusion to Neptune, god of the seas. Just as Neptune tamed the sea-horse, the Duke wishes to take his Duchess and have complete control over her.
Caesura (throughout whole poem)
- takes pauses and continues whenever he wishes; has complete control over the conversation
- emphasis on the crime the duke committed stands out even more because the though ends in the middle of the line with punctuation.
Diction
- “Last” (title): last can mean most recent, or perhaps he means his final duchess; this subtlety tells the agent that the Duke will probably never be as preoccupied with his new wife as his last one (which is probably a good thing for her).
- “Half-flush that dies along her throat” (19): interesting word choice with death and throat in the same line; sounds more ominous than praising
- “white” (28): innocence
- “lessoned” (40): sounds very much like “lessened” which means diminished. Perhaps he’s suggesting that if the Duchess is taught a lesson, he makes sure her whole self is somehow made diminished.
- “object” (53): not wife or companion, but his “object.” This word choice shows his desire to be in control and lack of respect for his spouse.
Enjambment
- the whole poem has enjambment. Very rarely does the end of a though coincide with the end of a line.
- Tension in rhythm
- Irregular/informal construction- Duke tries to make it sound like he’s relaxing his formality, but he actually has complete control over the situation
Irony
- Duke presents his wife as unfaithful and flirtatious to gain the favor of his listener, but instead the reader only sees through his façade to a jealous and vengeful husband.
Juxtaposition
- What the Duchess appreciates: “The dropping of the daylight in the West / The bough of cherries some officious fool / Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule / She rode around the terrace” (26-29) is juxtaposed with what the Duke values: “My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name” (33). Natural and pleasant things, which the Duchess loves, contrast sharply with the artificial title and last name that Duke believes she should regard more important.
Litotes
- “how shall I say?” (22): he’s pretending to be looking for words and being casual. However, he continues to say succinctly exactly what he means and needs to say. He’s in complete control of situation.
- “I know not how” (32): claims he doesn’t know how, then immediately states exactly how she ranks other’s gifts
- “Even had you skill / In speech – (which I have not)” (36): again, and understatement of his skills and situation. The monologue is a masterpiece of subtle rhetoric, yet he denies that he has any talent with speech.
Metonymy
- “favor” (25): favor as in affection but also stands for a love-gift, probably a ribbon or brooch.
Rhetorical question
- “Who’d stoop to blame / This sort of trifling?” (34-35): can’t imagine anyone disagreeing with him; and even if they did, his matter-of-fact tone suggests that he believes he is absolutely right
- “but who passed without / Much the same smile?” (44-45): jealous question. Implies that she gave the same smile to everyone, but he only wished for her to smile at him alone.
Synecdoche
- “Frà Pandolf's hands / Worked busily a day” (3-4)
Syntax
- “This grew; I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together” (45-46): short choppy sentences. Leading to a horrible realization
Tone
- very matter-of-fact: duke considers himself totally justified; he’s unrepentant and secure; enjoys having complete power over others.
Structure
- iambic pentameter
- open heroic couplet rhyme scheme
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